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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · stick · game · net · face · stock · firm · leaves

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stock — goods
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. net — after costs
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. wound — an injury
  14. net — for catching
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stock — shares
  17. game — a match
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. firm — steady
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — to confront
  24. net — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com